Natsu-Mon! 20th Century Summer Kid Review – A Nostalgic Journey through a Perfect Summer

A Nostalgic Summer Vacation Experience

Natsu-Mon! 20th Century Summer Kid is one of the most unexpected localizations of 2024, announced and released in quick succession with a free demo to boot. The game was already making waves as a popular import among collectors, but it needed a worldwide localization effort, and we’re all better off for it. Cozy games as a video game genre have taken off in recent years, and although we are seeing more of these releases now, they’ve always been a staple of gaming. It’s great to have a video game that allows you to escape and feel both a sense of adventure and progress without demanding skill or placing you in treacherous boss battles. These games will always have a place, perhaps more so now than ever before, and Natsu-Mon! is right up there as one of the better games in this cozy genre.

Satoru’s carefree adventures in Yomogi Town are a reminder of the simple joys of childhood.

The game is a joint development effort by Toybox Inc., known for Little Dragons Cafe, and veteran developer Millennium Kitchen. Some older players may even remember their indie cult release for Nintendo 3DS called Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale. Both of these titles were cozy adventure games emphasizing exploration and collecting, and as a joint production, Natsu-Mon! It really takes the best elements of those games to present the biggest adventure with no shortage of activities to obsess over.

A Whimsical and Engaging Storyline

The premise is whimsical and charming. The game’s protagonist, Satoru, is a typical kid with a not-so-typical family. His parents run a circus troupe, and they’re stopping by the charming Yomogi Town for the summer. Satoru is set for a memorable summer vacation. With a healthy habit of journaling everything using a pack of coloring pencils, he explores this town with a sense of wonder and curiosity that’s utterly infectious.

Exploring the Vast World of Yomogi Town

The size and scope of the game are easy to understate, but this is a deceptively small playground of possibilities. It may take a while for the map and game world to flesh out, but in no time, players will bump into all sorts of surprises and special moments. You can’t help but be swept away in Satoru’s thirst for adventure and how he turns even the simplest and most ordinary things into highlights worth appreciating. His journaling habit is strangely therapeutic, too, and you can’t help but dig his carefree vibe and mindset. For Satoru every discovery is worth writing about, whether it’s riding the bus for the first time or discovering the local bookstore, he really appreciates all the little joys of life. For most players, it’s a good habit to learn.

Day-to-Day Adventures and Activities

There is an overarching storyline, and the adventure is timebound, given that his family only stays in the town through August. So, this game is about making each day count and building memories. There are neatly organized objectives to pursue, but it’s more about doing whatever you feel like or even just allowing yourself to be surprised. Bug catching is usually a big part of day-to-day discoveries, and there is a wide variety of bugs to catalog here. There’s fishing and the usual distractions of collecting objects and digging up prehistoric fossils. While the pursuit of a collection is enjoyable and cathartic, Satoru’s summer vacation has become more than just activities.

Natsu-Mon! captures the essence of a perfect summer vacation, making every moment feel like a cherished memory.

One thing that needs to be said is that this kid loves to climb things, everything from trees to clocktowers, and completing major objects earns stamina stickers. The climbing and platforming mechanics aren’t exactly smooth or responsive, but they’re fine enough to make the most of the game world. And don’t worry about heights; this kid is virtually indestructible. Speaking of physical activity, the game has a daily exercise segment that doesn’t involve button presses. Instead, it expects the player to leave their seat and join in!

Charming Interactions and Memorable Characters

What stays with you most about the experience are the inhabitants of Yomogi Town. Satoru’s interactions with the colorful cast of characters feel authentic, and you can’t help but feel the innocence of friendship blossom. He gets to join a clubhouse of kids trying to solve local mysteries, and he shares poignant moments that are surprisingly deep and vulnerable. For the most part, his blunt straightforwardness gets the most amusing reaction out of adults. And more than anything else, it’s the breezy and blissful summer vacation routine that draws you in the most, making each day a worry-free pursuit of curiosity and enjoying routinely shared moments such as family meals.

A True Cozy Game Experience

Natsu-Mon! 20th Century Summer Kid is a cozy game above the rest, exuding a charming vibe that just comes across naturally. It’s the ultimate pre-internet summer vacation time capsule. It’s one thing for a video game to help you escape the real world, but what about a game that ends up teaching you to appreciate your world a little more? It’s easy to take the grind of life as ordinary and for granted, but sometimes it’s worth seeing the world like a little kid again.

Who said video games stopped kids from playing outside?